The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-26
GAS in NIAGARA ROCK.
Views of State Geologist Thompson Regard
ing the Recent Discovery at Vernon.

1.-THE finding of gas in the Niagara rock at
Vernon says Maurice Thompson, State Geo
logst may may not prove to be profitable
discovery. Ii the gas is in place in the Niagara
limestone, the stronger probability is that it will
exhaust itself; but if the drill merely struck
a leak leading from the Trenton rock below the
reservoir may prove to be extensive. All over
Indiana the Niagara limestone is oil bearing
but a rule the oil is caught in small, scat
tered cups, assures and fossil impressions in
such a way that it cannot be collected
into any extensive reservoir In other
words. the Niagara limestone is not, as
a rule. porous to any great extent, and there
fore no large or lasting supply of gas is to be
expected in it This rule may have
ception, and that exception may exist at Vernon.
l am In hopes that the Vernon gas Is a leak from
the Trenton formation below, and that tho gas is
really Trenton gas; if SC, the quantity may be
immense. few wells sunk to the Trenton
limestone in that vicinity will be the only safe
test. So few wells drilled into the Niagara to
about the horizon of the present well Will settle
the extent of the Niagara reservoir, if indeed
there is At Francisville a we'll in the Nj
agara limestone gave oil at the rate of twenty
barrels or more a day Where such deposit of
oil exists there may be considerable quantities of
gas stored, but the supply will be limited on
account of the lack of any extensive reservoir.
AT present it is unsafe to assume that the Yer
non gas is or is not Trenton gas. That the drill
reached it in the Niagara limestone is certain;
but that the gas is in place there is
not certain. A system of scat
tered wells drilled into both the Trenton
and the Niagara will settle the question. If the
is in place in the Niagara rock, the drill will
soon disclose the extent of the reservoie. and il
it is Trenton gas. the drill will soon show it. OF
course. it Is possb BILE for Niagara limestone to
have large porous or assured area full of high
pressure gas, and such may exist at
Vernon; but the stronger probability is that if
the gas is Niagara gas and is not a leak from the
Trenton below. the supply will prove compare
lively small. say this in warning to those in
terested, and If they will heed what l say they
possibly may avoid destroying by overdraught
reservoir which may be sufficient for all their
needs if carefully husbanded. Let il first be
determined whether the gas is Trenton gas. If
it is not Trenton gas then it is To-
cal pocket and too many wells will
probably speedily exhaust it. So far, with the
very slightest exceptions. the gas and oil of
Indiana has been found just as predicted in the
first sketch ever penned on the subject The
Wabash remains the line of demarkaton be-
tween the gas-feld, and the reason of this is
plain. from the fact that the Wabash river runs
along the line of fracture the northern
limit of the upheaval in Indiana which
occurred at the close of the Niagara period.
The river breaks through this upheaval at
Delphi. have expected gas to be found at
some point in the western part of the State and
north of the Wabash, but have SO far been dis
Announced.